Beside You
by kh-akuroku
Summary: Sequel to 'Oh Really' taking place right after it ended. "Shut up, are you calling me, another man, 'cute?" "You are, what's wrong in pointing it out?" "… I guess nothing coming from you"


**1. Surprises**

Life always finds the way to surprise you. In fact it is full of surprises and things you were not expecting to happen. So when the reception finally began. When the music started announcing the couple's arrival, when they started dancing their first dance as husband and wife, I wasn't that shocked.

Destiny hadn't been exactly good with me. I don't know whether I had some issues with fate… or it simply hated me. But I had been expecting all that. So when Roxas didn't recognize me, when he said he had remembered everyone already, I… I wasn't that astonished.

"_I've_ remembered everyone"

I laughed, and added "You better check again, cuz I'm missin'." Right then the music started, it was my song, and I had to hurry.

Naminé walked to Roxas and took his hand, pulling him to turn around and dance with her, she was glaring at me. Roxas stood there dumfounded for the last bit. And even when I was on the forum and grabbed the microphone he was still in the middle of the dance floor watching me carefully, with a frown on his face. Naminé was pulling his hand, whining at the little attention she got from my blond.

"Good evening everyone, ladies, gentlemen, all familiars and friends of this _lovely couple_…." Demyx spoke to all the people that was already with their heads turned to the dance floor where Naminé had given up on tugging his new husband's arm and was now just standing beside him smiling awkwardly. "… Mr. and Mrs. Strife… they just shared their first dance as husband and wife… now we're going to ask all the ladies… to come and dance with the groom; and gentleman to invite Mrs. strife this next piece…" people started to get up from their seats and head to the dance floor where Roxas had turned and grabbed Namine's waist, she was smiling widely and I could feel her eyes on me all the time.

Demyx started playing his guitar and Marluxia was in charge of the back rhythm in the computer and keyboard. Demyx smiled at me and winked. I didn't understand at first but then he motioned the microphone and the people watching me expectant "oh emm my name's Axel and this piece is called 'Confidence', enjoy"

Demyx laughed slightly and turned the volume up.

"_Wondering the streets, in a world underneath it all,  
nothing seems to be, nothing tastes as sweet  
as what I can't have  
like you and the way that you're twisting your hair  
round your finger,  
Tonight I'm not afraid to tell you  
what I feel about you…"_

Roxas and Naminé were dancing when Riku asked Naminé to dance, and Selfie went with Roxas; they greeted each other and were smiling. But Roxas' eyes were still on me; he was listening intently to the lyrics and was trying to decode what I meant when I had said I'd written the songs. He was just swinging lightly facing the forum and not even trying to disguise the fact that he was staring, sure Selphie didn't care the little attention, she knew everything and she was part of the plan. Riku was keeping Naminé's back facing the forum, so she wouldn't see the staring competition between me and Roxas.

I smiled at this; it was our intention after all, for Roxas to listen to the lyrics and understand them and try to remember…

_"I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
and cannon ball into the water  
I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
For you I will  
For you I will_

Forgive me if I stutter  
From all of the clutter in my head  
Cuz I could fall asleep in those eyes  
Like a water bed  
Do I seem familiar, I've crossed you in hallways  
a thousand times, no more camouflage  
I wanna be exposed, and not be afraid to fall…"

His eyes went wide and stopped swinging when he heard that verse. He smiled to Selfie and took Rikku's hand to dance with her now, Naminé had changed a few times of partner, I wasn't really paying attention to who she danced with, I was looking at Roxas, and he was looking me. And he wanted the music to go on, I could read it in his eyes, he knew, somehow, that I was singing about something that concerned him and my personal life. But he didn't seem to be putting every piece where it belonged for he seemed confused.

_"…If I could dim the lights in the mall  
and create a mood, I would…"_

Then the lights went dimmer and Roxas' eyes narrowed eyeing Larxene that had reappeared from the back room, where the electric controls were with a smirk plastered on her face.

_"…Shout out your name so it echoes in every room, I would  
that's what I'd do, that's what I'd do, _

_That's what I'd do, to get through to you_

I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
And cannon ball into the water  
I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
For you I will  
You always want what you can't have  
But I've got to try  
I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
For you I will  
For you I will  
For you I will…"

As soon as the song ended Roxas let go Rikku's hand vowing slightly at her and saying a quick 'thanks'. He walked to the forum, looking up at me and smiling.

"That was a smart move"

"What?" I asked moving to make room for Larxene who was speaking her congratulations for the couple in the microphone.

"You danced with me and just as Naminé reappeared you disappear, what's all this about? Is this by _any_ chance planed?" and his questions were followed by claps from the guests and Roxas turned to smile and wave to them, but he didn't forget his pondering and looked back at me questioningly.

"heh, no Rox, it's mere coincidence, why? Remember anything?" then Larxene nudged me with her elbow and I smiled apologetically at her "I mean… why don't you go and wait for the rest of the songs, there are plenty more lyrics I know you'd like to hear, or do you really believed her?" I said then looking at Naminé who seemed to be looking around for her husband.

Roxas looked back and as soon as his eyes fell on his wife he turned back at me and seemed to ignore the last question. "Oh yes? Well I'll tell you something Axel, I don't know _who _you are, and I don't care _how you_ came to play at my wedding's reception, but I don't want the night of my life to be ruined, are you that desperate to solve your love issues?" He then walked back to his table where his wife seemed happy to see him and glared slightly at me, but then she turned to give orders to the cook.

"Axel, just tell him you miss him, and he'll understand the rest, you're not giving him enough information, you can't expect him to remember everything by himself"

"I'm not desperate, I'm trying to seem calm and collected, but I want him to remember me already…"

"Axel..." spoke Demyx from behind "just one more song and then we play the musical medley yes? That'll give him some feelings to ponder on" he encouraged with a cocky smile and nudged Zexion who just rolled his eyes at him

"Let's play 'missing you' then guys"

Marluxia answered with a 'yes, sir' and Larxene smiled. As soon as the rhythm started again, Roxas' head turned to the forum and narrowed his eyes, now focusing on my mouth, and just before the song started I mouthed an 'I miss you,'. Roxas' eyes widened and turned his head to see if I had mouthed that to him, and when he looked back at me I was starting the lyrics already.

"_Every time I think of you,_

_I always catch my breath,_

_And I'm still standing here,_

_And you're miles away,_

_And I'm wondering why you left,_

_And there's a storm that's raging,_

_Through my frozen heart tonight,_

_I hear your name in certain circles_

_And it always makes me smile…"_

Naminé, who had been giving orders to the cook and waitresses now turned to look at me threateningly. I tried vainly to hide a smile because of this and moved my eyes back to Roxas, who was sitting on the couple's special table with his head on his hands, eyes buried in mine.

"…_I spend my time thinking about you_

_And it's almost driving me wild,_

_And there's a heart that's breaking_

_Down this long distance line tonight_

_I ain't missing you at all_

_Since you've been gone, away_

_I ain't missing you_

_No matter what I might say…"_

He frowned deeper and shook his head, as if trying to get rid of all the thoughts that he was having. Did he really understand the meaning behind the lyrics? Did he realize already the song was about _him_? Was it good that I'd told him I wrote the songs? What if he didn't understand right? I was having a thousand questions in my head, and still I had to try my best to sing properly. Knowing that my best friends were beside me, helping and supporting me gave me strength, and that was all I needed.

"…_There's a message, in the wire_

_And I'm sending you this signal tonight_

_You don't know, how desperate I've become_

_And it looks like I'm losing this fight_

_In your world, I have no meaning,_

_Though I'm trying hard to understand_

_And it's my heart that breaking _

_Down this long distance line tonight,_

_I ain't missing you at all_

_Since you've been gone, away_

_I ain't missing you_

_No matter what my friends say_

_And there's a message that I'm sending out_

_Like a telegraph to your soul_

_And if I can't bridge this distance,_

_Stop this heartbreak overload…"_

The chorus started again, and Yuna, a friend of Larxene got up from her seat and walked to Larxene, she, apart from playing started giving her orders and passed her a paper. Yuna then walked back to her seat and read the paper with her other friend Paine. They two turned to other table with guys in tuxedos and gave a 'thumbs up'. Tidus and Wakka got up and joined the girls outside. I turned to Larxene and she was smiling widely, when her eyes fell on me her smile grew even bigger. What was she planning? I didn't know but something told me I was gonna enjoy it.

_"…I ain't missing you  
No matter  
What my friends say  
Ain't missing you  
I ain't missing you  
I ain't missing you  
I keep lying to myself  
Ain't missing you  
I ain't missing you  
I ain't missing you  
I ain't missing you  
I ain't missing you  
I ain't missing you  
Ain't missing you  
Oh no  
No matter what my friends might say  
I ain't missing you…"_

* * *

sorry for this being posted way too late, but i've been busy :S

i hope you enjoy,

i have actually almost half this second part written, i'm just reading it over again to make sure everything is right :D

let me know what you think! i'd appreciate any suggestions!

**and to disclaim, i do not own or make money from the songs, lyrics etc, i just like to imagine Axel wrote and sang them in an A.U.**

songs are, confidence, and missing you :D


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